Water Damaged Dryer Vent
Water in a Dryer Vent is not an uncommon occurrence and when a Dryer Vent is full of water, or even partially full, the amount of air that can pass is limited. The pressure of the Dryer discharging air is not sufficient so as to “blow” water out of a Dryer Vent.
Dryer Vent Water can accumulate when the moisture from the drying clothes condenses on the wall of the dryer vent itself so it is important that the dryer vent discharge path does not allow water to flow back into the clothes dryer.
Most dryer vent discharge piping is a solid, non-flexible, plastic (PVC) or metal. These materials will not sag if water accumulates inside. However, like any water, dryer vent water becomes heavy. This will cause flexible materials to sag and this makes the problem worse. As the water level rises the amount of air that can pass becomes smaller and smaller.
Water can get into a Dryer Vent from outside of the house when rain enters. Typically this happens when the outside protective cover leaks or is not properly sealed to the side of the dryer vent penetration.
Water can also enter a Dryer Vent if under the house and there is a flooding condition. It is important to remember that during flooding incidents, the flood waters are mixed with sewage and once Flooding enters the Dryer Vent piping, replacement is the only safe option.